All of us would agree that the family is the foundation of a good society. From our first steps, and way before that, we interact with our environment. We are mirroring what our environment is doing. By doing that, we learn and adapt to our society. Our primary and the most important environment is our family and all of the habits starts there.

Due to that mirroring process, sports and physical activities are a healthy habit you want to transfer to your children. How to create interesting family sport activities and how to include children in them? There are some pieces of advice and techniques you might think about when it comes to family activities ideas.

Advice #1: “Mask” family sport activities

When you start with this interesting technique, it is important to know that children are very competitive. They like to „prove” themselves in different things and get properly rewarded. That is why some not so interesting stuff can suddenly become interesting competitions for them. That transfer from ordinary and boring stuff to stimulating and competitive stuff is crucial here.

That is something that will keep them into it. Everything is about the perspective and their personal experience. A good example here would be climbing the stairs. First, you are avoiding lifts and doing a sort of workout and we can agree that is good both for you and your kids. Set rules and give them a few opportunities to compete in running with you or their brother or sister.

Next, a regular walk by the beach can become a very exciting family sports game if you bring a frisbee or a set of badminton rackets with you. Even gardening can become more fun if you have enough imagination to turn it in a sports activity.

Advice #2: Your habit becomes their habit

We are back to the mirroring. Children learn from you and your habits. Your responsibility is to show them a wide range of healthy habits. No one says that watching movies during a rainy night is not ok, but once when the sun comes out it is time to get out. The more you offer to them, the wider the palette of choices they will get. A good example of healthy habits build-up is your own sports engagement like early morning jogging or some other kind of physical exercise.

Also, today, there are numerous family exercise programs which are created just because of these reasons. Start step by step. Invite your child to run with you in the morning and adjust it by his or her capacities. You can arrange a whole day walking trip to some nearby nature or a visit to the farm, to practice horse riding. The key thing here is to offer a wider choice so that a child can later choose the ones that interest them the most. By doing that you will help them to build their own independence.

Advice #3: Include sports in gatherings

We all love family gatherings where old stories are told, and timeless memories get alive. Of course, a barbecue or some other food must be included. Children’s birthdays are also a perfect time to catch up with your old family friends. So, how about you create a sports competition for those kinds of gatherings?

Why wouldn’t you create a soccer, basketball or volleyball tournament in your sons or daughter’s birthday with rewards for all? You can be sure that others will enthusiastically accept that idea. In that way, some regular gathering with almost predetermined flow will become an unforgettable moment for you and your children. By creating that sort of family sport activity, you encourage the development of a healthy competition, that surely latter will become a very useful tool. Learning to accept defeat, be humble after a win and show respect to your opponents are imperative life lessons that children should embrace early into their values.

It is all about family activity

In the end, we can agree that spending time with your children is a source of happiness for you and for them. By applying some of those strategies mentioned above, you can create unforgettable memories while you and your children take benefits from vigorous life habits and family sports activities, which will surely create a healthier and meaningful lifestyle.

Author: Zvonimir Brnas